December 2014 by Minnesota Good Age

DECEMBER 2014

FALLING OUT OF LOVE WITH THE NFL Page 10

IS CAR SHARING FOR YOU? Page 34

DON’T BUST YOUR HOLIDAY BUDGET Page 22

& S T AR G N I G A Creativity is good fo your mindr and body Page 28

Patrick Weber, of Shoreview

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CONTENTS 34 CAR SHARING Milennials are driving the trend. Here are the drawbacks for older adults.

28 ARTS AND AGING Finding a creative outlet — such as music, dance, poetry or visual arts — can be beneficial for mental agility as well as overall physical health.

GOOD START

GOOD HEALTH

GOOD LIVING

FROM THE EDITOR 8 The art of aging

ASK THE PHARMACIST 16 Heavy metals can cause harm

FINANCE 22 Don’t bust your holiday budget

MY TURN 10 Falling out of love with the NFL

HOUSE CALL 18 Osteoporosis and how to fight it

HOUSING 24 Can your housekeeper sue you?

MEMORIES 12 Music is the spirit of Christmas

CAREGIVING 20 ‘Sandwich generation’ caregivers

TECHNOLOGY 26 Why you should always log off

THIS MONTH IN MN HISTORY 14 Made in Minnesota: ‘Sex in a box’

CAN’T MISS CALENDAR

IN THE KITCHEN 27 Italian-striped lemon cookies

36 36

BRAIN TEASERS

ON THE COVER Patrick Weber, 63, of Shoreview has been playing the electric guitar since 2010, thanks to weekly lessons through MacPhail Center for Music, based in Minneapolis. Photo by Rich Fleischman / MacPhail Center for Music

DECEMBER 2014

DECEMBER 2014 VOLUME 33 / ISSUE 12 PUBLISHERS Janis Hall jhall@mngoodage.com Terry Gahan tgahan@mngoodage.com GENERAL MANAGER Chris Damlo 612-436-4376 cdamlo@mngoodage.com EDITOR Sarah Dorison 612-436-4385 editor@mngoodage.com

Hennepin County Public Affairs GA 1214 H6.indd 1

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CONTRIBUTORS Teresa Ambord Starla Clement Suzy Cohen Rich Fleischman Zoe Gahan Carol Hall Skip Johnson Dave Nimmer Janet Salo Richard Sherman Bill Siuru Dr. Michael Spilane Terry John Zila CREATIVE DIRECTOR Dana Croatt dcroatt@mngoodage.com SALES ADMINISTRATOR Kate Manson 612-436-5085 kmanson@mngoodage.com GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Valerie Moe Amanda Wadeson PAGE DESIGNER Kylie Beran CIRCULATION Marlo Johnson distribution@mngoodage.com

DECIDING WHAT TO KEEP & WHAT TO LET GO OF CAN BE DAUNTING

50,000 copies of Minnesota Good Age are distributed to homes and businesses metro-wide. Minnesota Good Age (ISSN 2333-3197) is published monthly by Minnesota Premier Publications. Minnesota Good Age, 1115 Hennepin Ave. Minneapolis, MN 55403 © 2014 Minnesota Premier Publications, Inc. Subscriptions are $12 per year.

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DECEMBER 2014

FROM THE EDITOR ////// SARAH DORISON

THE ART OF AGING I

can’t help but grin from ear to ear when I look at our cover this month, featuring local retired attorney Patrick Weber from Shoreview. He’s smiling, too, rocking one of his favorite things — a guitar (a Gibson ES-335 to be exact), which has clearly brought him a great deal of joy and satisfaction since he took it up about four years ago. It’s so awesome, so creative and — experts on aging say — so very important. It turns out, aging well isn’t just about exercising and eating right. We need to engage our brains — not only with mental activities such as games and crosswords, but also with truly creative and challenging artistic endeavors, neurologists say. If we don’t use these important parts of our brains, they can disappear. And if we do engage these parts of our brains, we may be able to delay or minimize some of the ill effects of aging (mental and physical). You can read all about it in this issue in our feature story on arts and aging, inspired by the first-ever Midwest Arts & Aging Conference held earlier this year in St. Paul. I attended the event and was blown away by the number of organizations offering arts education to ages 55 and older! Organized by Twin Cities-based ArtSage, the well-attended conference was also packed with individual artists who work with older adults in every age category — from young Baby Boomers like Weber to older adults in memory-care facilities. After seeing the many ways arts engage our minds, spirits and even bodies, I found myself wondering what art I should take up! Something, anything. Arts can not only perhaps delay the onset of Alzheimer’s according to experts, but they can also make us happy — for life. This all reminds me of my grandmother, a joyful woman, who, into her 80s, could sit down at the piano and play by ear for hours. She never lost that skill. And she never lost her cognitive abilities either. (Perhaps this wasn’t a coincidence.) That was always impressive to me. And I know piano brought her as much joy as anything else around her. We grandkids loved it, too. Guitar and piano, of course, aren’t for everyone. But, I believe, all of us have the potential to be creative in some way. It’s just a matter of finding our art. Dancing, singing, storytelling, painting, poetry? I think it will be singing for me if I can find a choir that’ll take me. What will you choose?

Sarah Dorison, Editor

DECEMBER 2014

GOOD START MY TURN ////// DAVE NIMMER

FALLING OUT OF LOVE WITH THE NFL F

or most well-adjusted folks, this is the holiday season. For profootball junkies like me, it’s crunch time — important, not-to-miss games that decide who makes the playoffs and who packs their bags and heads home. I’ve been a Green Bay Packers fan since 1952 when my dad took me to my first pro game at old City Stadium, a wooden relic seating 25,000, without box seats or even a locker room. The teams dressed in their hotel and took a bus to the stadium. I still remember the Los Angeles Rams clattering down the steps in their blue and gold: Elroy “Crazylegs” Hirsch, Tank Younger, Bob Waterfield and Norm Van Brocklin. To me as a 12-year-old, they were bigger than life. Now, I’m afraid of what’s happened to the NFL game. It is, as my grandmother used to say, getting too big for its britches, and I’m having trouble tuning in and turning on the pigskin passion, especially after hearing an interview on WCCO Radio with Steve Almond, a respected author whose latest book is Against Football: One Fan’s Reluctant Manifesto.

VIOLENCE AND INFLUENCE

Almond writes that many fans will dismiss what he has to say as just a load of horse manure, “shoveled by someone who is probably wearing a French sailor’s suit and whistling the Soviet National Anthem. Before you do so, let me reiterate: I am one of you.” And like Almond, after 60 years of watching and worrying (Will the Packers make the playoffs?), I’m troubled over the game’s violence, arrogance, aﬄuence and influence.

DECEMBER 2014

The NFL is so influential it can ultimately put Minnesota taxpayers on the hook for almost a halfbillion dollars to build a playground for a family of millionaires from New Jersey. And the NFL is arrogant enough to tell the city of Minneapolis that, in order to get the Super Bowl in 2018, it must provide free police escorts for team owners, presidential suites at no cost, 35,000 free parking spaces and, oh yes, please tell the hotels that will be housing the teams they should carry the NFL Network on their cable systems for the prior year. Whoa. That’s a long way from my little wooden bleachers in Green Bay. BIGGER, FASTER, STRONGER

Now, the games I watched as a kid weren’t playground affairs: Leather slapped, noses bled, ankles bent and knees twisted. Since then, the bodies are bigger, faster, stronger — and the field is the same size. Les Bingaman, a defensive lineman for the Detroit Lions in the ’50s, was an anomaly at 300 pounds — the biggest in the league.

I’m afraid of what’s happened to the NFL game. It is, as my grandmother used to say, getting too big for its britches, and I’m having trouble tuning in and turning on the pigskin passion.

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One other thing that’s hard to watch — I’m surprised I ever started — is the NFL combine, the players’ pro tryouts prior to the draft. It’s like a giant meat market. They run, they jump, they start, they stop, they throw, they catch and they lift — and not much more to measure the content of their character or the manner of their minds. Moving forward, I’ll probably watch the division playoffs on TV. But I think I’ll skip the wildcard games. And on warm, sunny Sunday afternoons next fall, I’ll give some serious thought to climbing in my boat and going fishing. I’ll also tell my cable provider I can do without the NFL Network. It’s time to get a perspective on a game that turns out to have serious consequences on bodies, brains and budgets.

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Dave Nimmer had a long career as a reporter, editor and professor. Now retired, he has no business card, but plenty to do. Send comments or questions to dnimmer@mngoodage.com. DECEMBER 2014

GOOD START MEMORIES ////// CAROL HALL

CHERISHING HOLIDAY MUSIC C

hristmas music is, well, music to my ears. Sentimentalist choir’s performance at the nursing home in my small hometo the core, I play my old CDs repeatedly throughout town in southwestern Minnesota. A number of the elderly the season. residents suffered dementia to the extent they But there’s more to it than simply the enjoydidn’t recognize relatives, but they remembered “The ment of familiar hymns, carols and pop tunes. the lyrics to this and other oft-heard hymns and As always happens, some of them evoke special sang along. spirit of moments in time. And because many of these people were Christmas Whenever I hear Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Norwegian immigrants, we concluded the is in its Isabella, I’m on stage again with the senior-high program with, Jeg Er Sa Glad Hver Julekveld music.” chorus, adding my second-soprano voice to the (I Am So Glad Each Christmas Eve). Tears flowed — Anonymous lilting melody of this lovely French folk carol as as we sang the familiar words that spoke to them we perform it at the annual school Christmas of home. concert. Our beautiful music teacher, Miss Laurence, Years later, I felt their pain. The Johnny Mathis LP Merry is directing us, and looking resplendent in floor-length Christmas had just come out in the late 1950s during a time black velvet. in my 20s when I briefly and unhappily lived in southern “I heard the bells on Christmas day, their old familiar California. I still recall my profound homesickness carols play, and loud and sweet, the words repeat of as Mathis crooned “please have snow and mistletoe peace on earth, good will to men,” is being played and presents round the tree,” from the song, I’ll Be on the pipe organ at the midnight Christmas Eve Home for Christmas, while looking out the window service in our church, and we in the congregation at palm trees and sunshine. It made me realize I’m are singing the words. a Minnesota girl through and through, and the Away in a Manger still makes me sad. My time had come to return. mother sang it to me as she rocked me to sleep. And, well, the list goes on. But I’ve run out I distinctly remember how the words — of space. So, I’ll say Merry Christmas, dear “Away in a manger, no crib for his bed, the readers. I wish you the beauty and the little Lord Jesus lay down his sweet head.” poetry the music of this season brings. — sent me into fits of crying because the And I hope my memories stir yours baby Jesus had no crib. (This is my one a little. and only memory from early childCarol Hall lives in Woodbury. She’s hood.) a longtime freelance writer, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer a University of Minnesota graduate topped the charts in 1949 when I and a former Northwest Airlines was young enough to delight in its stewardess. Send comments and silliness and old enough to have a questions to chall@mngoodage.com. crush on the singing cowboy, Gene Autry, who recorded it. Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful always opened our Lutheran church junior

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SELLING ‘SEX IN A BOX’ I

t was December 1965, when a vice president at the Milton Bradley Company called the inventors of a new game, Twister, to say they were stopping production. The game was simply too risque. Charles Foley and Neil Rabens created the game while working for the Reynolds Guyer Agency, a promotion and design firm in St. Paul. The pair saw the novelty of using a mat as a game DECEMBER 2014

board with people as the pieces. After some tweaks, they patented the game, which they called Pretzel. Foley had a relationship with executives at Milton Bradley and was able to convince the company to buy the rights to market and sell his game, which the company renamed Twister. Initial sales of Twister were lackluster. Many store owners were uncomfortable with the game’s suggestive connotation.

Department store giant Sears refused to include the game in its catalog. Milton Bradley was ready to throw in the towel, until a public relations firm came up with a winning idea. On May 3, 1966, Johnny Carson and actress Eva Gabor played the game on The Tonight Show. As the game evolved, the pair became intertwined. Eva smiled and made suggestive comments in her heavy Hungarian accent, while Johnny responded with priceless facial expressions that made the audience roar with laughter. The next day, sales went through the roof and Milton Bradley put the game back into production. By the end of the year, 3 million units had sold, leading some competitors to say Milton Bradley was guilty of selling “sex in a box.” In 1967, Twister was named Game of the Year, and it’s estimated that more than 65 million people have played Twister since its introduction. Kate Roberts, developer of the Minnesota History Center exhibit Toys of the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s, said: “It was the right product at the right time. Social norms were changing quickly Twister was the perfect fit for ’60s kids, teens and parents.” In 1985, Hasbro acquired Milton Bradley. Meanwhile, the Reynolds Guyer Agency went on to produce a number of other successful toys, including the NERF ball. Visitors to the Toys of the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s exhibit can play with NERF balls, see a Twister game and discover many other Minnesota-made toys, all while gaining inspiration for the holiday shopping season. The exhibit is on view through Jan. 4. Learn more at minnesotahistorycenter.org. Minnesota Historical Society Staff

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G O O D H E A LT H ASK THE PHARMACIST ////// SUZY COHEN

Heavy metals can cause harm E

veryone seems to be worried these days about the levels of heavy metals in their dental amalgams and in today’s vaccines. But what if I told you that you could be getting some in your morning bowl of cereal? It’s possible, according to Mike Adams, founder of the Forensic Food Lab (labs.naturalnews.com). Some metals simply aren’t supposed to be in your body. Symptoms of acute poisoning require immediate medical attention, whereas chronic low-level exposure can cause symptoms that may look like an auto-immune disorders, attention problems or neurological diseases. Take a look at the startling symptoms of chronic metal exposure:

LEAD

Symptoms can include fatigue, insomnia, trouble concentrating, irritability, headache, weight loss, stomach pains, low libido and high blood pressure. Lead-related nervous-system damage can cause dozens of muscular and neurological problems. Disturbingly, lead contaminants have been found in a few baby foods and juices. ARSENIC

Darkening or discoloration of your skin, skin bumps (like corns or warts termed hyperkeratosis), white lines in the fingernails (called Mees’ lines) and peripheral neuropathy are some of the symptoms. Brain fog and mental status changes can occur. I remember once when my fiancé was hospitalized about 20 years ago: He was tested for arsenic. His levels were 500 times higher than normal. His neurologist became alarmed and requested my urine sample, on the spot — worried perhaps that I had poisoned my guy. My levels were 1,000 times higher than normal! Later on, I explained to the

DECEMBER 2014

doctor that he had tested our “organic” arsenic levels (not the poisonous “inorganic” sort) and that it would naturally be higher because we both had eaten lobster the night before. Luckily, we knew we had high levels of the nontoxic form, so we didn’t submit ourselves for unnecessary chelation. CADMIUM

Cigarette smoke contains cadmium and so does some fertilizer. Japan has had a problem with cadmium in their water supply and rice fields. Cadmium can raise blood pressure. It can cause emphysema, poor sense of smell, fatigue, osteoporosis and anemia. MERCURY

This heavy metal is usually found in seafood (especially sea bass, swordfish and tuna), some pharmaceuticals, old mercury thermometers and some dental fillings. When coal is burned, mercury is

Heavy metals can be present in water, household chemicals, fertilizers, medication and food.

A Great Smile Says It All released. Symptoms include mood swings, memory loss, heart arrhythmias, weakness, skin rashes, psychiatric illness and dozens of muscular or neurological symptoms. Permanent, progressive, disabling conditions may occur if mercury poisoning isn’t uncovered in time. MANAGING RISK

While it can be frightening to think about these risks, keep in mind that we’re all exposed to these compounds. Heavy metals can be present in water, household chemicals, fertilizers, medication and food, yes, including cereal. Mike Adams — aka the Health Ranger — evaluated two dozen cereals using data from metal analysis tests and found varying levels of heavy metals. Children who grow up eating cereal containing heavy metals every day may accumulate higher levels of heavy metals in their bodies. KEEP IT IN PERSPECTIVE

That may or may not be a problem. According to Forensic Food Lab, heavy metal tolerance can be affected by each individual’s overall health: “A high level of metals does not automatically mean the item being tested is dangerous to consume. “Each individual’s ability to detoxify toxic elements depends on a large number of factors including genetic predisposition, environmental exposure to toxic elements, diet, lifestyle, whether the person exercises and sweats on a regular basis, water consumption and so on.” Learn more at labs.naturalnews.com. Suzy Cohen has been a licensed pharmacist for almost 25 years. Send questions to info@pharmacist.com.

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G O O D H E A LT H HOUSE CALL ////// DR. MICHAEL SPILANE

Know your osteoporosis risk I

f I could eradicate one thing from life, it would be hate. The second thing might be osteoporosis. And I don’t hold much hope that either will disappear anytime soon. Because osteoporosis is such an important health topic, I’ve updated a column I wrote for Good Age in 2009. (Next month’s column will focus on the DXA bone-mineral density test.) Osteoporosis is a skeletal disease characterized by loss of the calcium and phosphorus compounds that cement the bone structure. The micro-architectural deterioration of the bones leads to increased fragility and a heightened risk of fracture.

GENDER MATTERS

Osteoporosis has many causes, but older age is the major one. Women are at highest risk of developing osteoporosis — a 50-year-old woman in the U.S. has a 40 percent chance of eventually having an osteoporotic bone fracture. Risk of osteoporosis is increased in those with a family history of osteoporotic bone fractures and in those who have used corticosteroid medications (for example, prednisone) for more than a few months. Other risk factors include low body weight, smoking, a sedentary lifestyle, a diet low in calcium and long-term use of certain anticonvulsant medications. FRACTURE TYPES

Bones weakened from loss of mineral density are susceptible to fracture, and it’s the fractures that make osteoporosis such a nasty problem. All demineralized bones are weak, but the weight-bearing bones of the spine and hips are the ones that most commonly break. A hip fracture is a sudden and devastating event. Spinal fractures are often more subtle. Multiple micro-fractures of the spinal bones (vertebrae) occurring over many years lead to loss of height, stooped posture and chronic back pain. A more sudden and larger spinal fracture can cause severe back pain that evolves over days and persists for months. Whether the spinal fractures are slowly progressive or acute, the end result can be compressed vertebrae, pain, spinal-cord compression, imbalance and a heightened risk of falls.

DECEMBER 2014

Too often, the imbalance caused by osteoporosis of the spine leads to a fall and a fractured hip. Once you’ve got osteoporosis, it can be awful. DRUGS, PREVENTION

So how can you prevent osteoporosis? The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force, an assemblage of medical authorities, recommends that all women over age 65, and younger women with known risk factors, undergo a bone-mineral density test. This X-ray test is quick, safe and painless. It doesn’t need to be performed on those who have obvious evidence of osteoporosis (for example, loss of height and stooped posture), those who have suffered a previous osteoporotic fracture or the oldest of adults. If osteoporosis exists, several drugs have proven effective in increasing bone-mineral density and reducing the risk of fractures. Oral biphosphanate compounds such as alendronate (Fosamax) or risedronate (Actonel) are most commonly prescribed by physicians and have the best scientific evidence of benefit. They’re costly and, because of caustic properties, shouldn’t be used by people with swallowing problems or esophageal (swallowing tube) ailments. Most authorities now believe that the maximum benefit from use of biphosphanate medication is achieved after five years of treatment and that use beyond that time period may actually be harmful to the bones.

H E A LT H Y B O N E

OSTEOPOROSIS

WANT TO LEARN MORE? To find out more about osteoporosis, see the National Osteoporosis Foundation’s website at nof.org.

HELPFUL SUPPLEMENTS

To help prevent osteoporosis, all postmenopausal women and all people over age 65 should use daily supplements of calcium and vitamin D. The recommended daily dose of supplemental calcium for older adults is 500 to 1,500 milligrams per day, with the higher dosage advised for those with a low intake of milk and other dairy products. The recommended daily dose of supplemental vitamin D, which promotes absorption of calcium in the gut, is 1,000 to 2,000 units each day. Many over-the-counter calcium preparations come with added vitamin D, but a separate and additional dose of 1,000 units per day is advisable, especially for those who don’t receive regular exposure to sunlight (sunlight activates the body’s production of vitamin D). These treatments make a difference, but they’re far from a total solution. Wisdom dictates that all older adults presume their bones are brittle and susceptible to fracture. Prevention of a fall is perhaps the best treatment of all. Now may be the right time to quit climbing — no ladders and no stools. And high heels are perhaps best consigned to permanent retirement. Dr. Michael Spilane, now retired, spent more than four decades practicing and teaching geriatric medicine in St. Paul. Send comments or questions to drspilane@mngoodage.com.

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DECEMBER 2014

G O O D H E A LT H CAREGIVING ////// JANET SALO it may be useful to create a health care directive, a will and other legal documents while they’re still able to make decisions and inform others of their wishes. Through all this, caregivers need to keep on track with their own health care, social activities and work or retirement plans. Community resources and services may be necessary to maintain a healthy balance. Here are some tips for maintaining balance as a double-duty caregiver: Get organized. Gather the important

Caregiving times two (the sandwich generation)

magine you have grown children and thoughts of retirement running through your head. Two weeks later, you’re caring for your grandchildren after an automobile accident left their parents unable to care for their children. Just as you’re figuring out the finances, medical and educational services for the children, your father begins to need more care due to Alzheimer’s disease. You decide to move him into your home so you can oversee his daily care. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone!

DECEMBER 2014

Welcome to the “sandwich” generation of caregivers — people caring for both young children and aging parents. Caring for a parent, a grandchild and yourself requires a careful balancing act. Being a kinship caregiver, you may find your time and finances are significantly impacted or are inadequate with new additions to the household. Children will need health insurance, access to educational services and perhaps therapy. You may need to access legal resources to obtain legal guardianship of the children. Aging parents may need an array of therapies and medical care; in addition,

paperwork for each person in your care. A file cabinet or even a cardboard box labeled with the person’s name will work. Keep a calendar with details on contacts made regarding legal, financial, medical and educational services to track what you’ve done. It can become confusing without a tracking system. If the parents visit with their children, track visit times and keep notes on how that’s progressing or if there are issues that need addressing. Take advantage of community resources. Accessing public benefits

may be a new experience, but these are vital safety nets for families. The Minnesota Family Investment Program Child Only grant provides cash benefits, SNAP (food support) and medical assistance for children not living with their parents. Aging parents may be eligible for care or case-management services through the county or a private-pay agency that can help caregivers access in-home support, medical care and even adult day services. If a person you’re caring for is a veteran, don’t forget to contact your local veteran’s agency for additional resources, many of which are free.

WHAT IS KINSHIP CARE? Kinship care is typically defined as the raising of children by grandparents, greatgrandparents, other relatives or close family friends because the biological parents are unable or unwilling to do so.

Get connected with caregiver support. In the middle of caring for

everyone else, you need to make sure your own needs are being met, that you remain socially connected, healthy and engaged in work/retirement activities. Support and education groups can be useful to connect with others and share experiences related to coping and succeeding in your caregiving roles. Lutheran Social Services provides information and assistance with kinship caregiver support services, Family Circle conferences, Powerful Tools for Caregivers workshops and support groups. Call 651-917-4640 or see kinshipcaregivers.org. Powerful Tools for Caregivers is a workshop series that offers vital tools and techniques to make the best of your caregiving experience. A Family Circle conference can bring family together to make decisions regarding the children or adults in your care. The Senior Linkage Line — 800-333-2433; mnaging.org — offers information and assistance in accessing and understanding senior services.

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Janet Salo is a family support specialist at Kinship Caregivers, a program of Lutheran Social Service of MN. She is also a member of the Twin Cities’ Metropolitan Caregiver Service Collaborative (caregivercollaborative.org). DECEMBER 2014

GOOD LIVING FINANCE ////// SKIP JOHNSON

Spoil your loved ones (but not your budget) A

s the song says, this is “the most wonderful time of the year.” There are holiday parties, family gatherings and gifts to exchange. The memories created in this month can last well into the new year and beyond. For many retailers, this is the most important time of the year. According to the National Retail Federation, many of its member businesses count on the months of November and December for 20 to 40 percent of their annual sales. The pressure’s on for those businesses to get you to spend — and spend big! They’ll be passing that pressure on to you. What you don’t want to do is give into the pressure and end up with regret when you open your bank and credit card statements come January.

I’ve put together five tips to help you be generous to your loved ones, and take advantage of once-a-year savings, all without spoiling your budget. SET A SPENDING LIMIT

Before you hit your first store or website, make a list of who you’re buying for and how much you plan to spend. I stress to my clients the importance of budgeting year-round, and that includes the holiday season. Write up a budget for holiday expenses — including what you plan to spend on gifts, hosting (and attending) parties and travel to see loved ones. Keeping that budget with you as you shop can help you avoid impulse buys. TIPPING? GO FOR GIFT CARDS

You probably have people like teachers, babysitters, newspaper carriers and doormen on your list. Save yourself a lot of guesswork by getting gift cards. Giving gift cards is a good way to stick to a budget. But buy gift cards only from reputable retailers. Cards sold through online auction sites might be stolen or counterfeit. BE A SCROOGE

I’m not talking about shopping for your friends and family. I’m talking about shopping for yourself. It’s so easy to impulse buy when you see something you like on a holiday sale, but this is one of the biggest budget-busters! The National Retail Federation says shoppers — while spending a lot of time and energy shopping — will spend about $130 on themselves! Stick to your spending limit and try to steer clear of temptation.

DECEMBER 2014

Go ahead and be generous this holiday season, but not to the point where you put yourself into debt.

WILLS, ESTATE PLANNING

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AVOID HIDDEN FEES

The average person plans to do 40 percent of their shopping online, according to the National Retail Federation. When you’re using the Internet, you need to be especially careful, or you could end up paying for something you don’t want. Watch for pre-checked boxes next to add-on products and services. These types of hidden fees can really add up, so make sure you read the fine print before agreeing to buy anything.

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In October, the credit reporting agency TransUnion released the results of a study that found people in nearly every age bracket had less debt than they did five years ago. Only one group saw an increase — those age 60 and older. The study cited generosity to children and grandchildren as a factor. I work with my clients toward a goal of being debt-free by the time they reach their 60s so that all of their retirement income can go toward paying for the present and the future — not the past. Go ahead and be generous this holiday season, but not to the point where you put yourself into debt.

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There will be a lot of promotions this holiday season, and many stores will offer special deals to loyal customers. Consider signing up for emails from your favorite stores, and also keep an eye on their websites, Twitter feeds and Facebook pages. And don’t forget the traditional method of scoring coupons — the newspaper.

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Skip Johnson is a partner at Great Waters Financial in New Hope, Minn. Learn more at mygreatwaters.com.

DECEMBER 2014

GOOD LIVING HOUSING ////// TERESA AMBORD

Could your housekeeper sue you? I

f you’ve hired household workers such as housekeepers, nannies, medical helpers or caregivers, you need to be aware of some important tax and legal problems that can come up if you aren’t careful. The first thing you need to do is figure out if your hired workers are independent contractors or employees. The implications are important. ARE THEY EMPLOYEES?

A worker who brings his or her own equipment — for example, a gardener — is most likely an independent contractor. Such a person probably also does work for other people as well. Independent contractors must supply their own insurance. Still, it’s up to you to ask to see a certificate of adequate insurance to protect yourself. Otherwise, a contractor who’s injured in your home could still sue you if the cost of his or her injuries exceeds the limits of his or her insurance. If a worker, such as a housekeeper, comes into your home and you provide cleaning supplies and control the work, chances are he or she is your employee. If you pay that person at least $1,900 by the end of 2014, you must also pay employment tax on his or her wages and withhold tax from those wages. Depending on the state you live in, you might also be required to cover workers’ compensation insurance. Even if the law doesn’t require you to have this coverage, you’d be smart to carry it to protect yourself from serious losses. PAYING UNDER THE TABLE

More and more, the IRS is cracking down on people who have workers who are paid under the table and are technically employees. If you’re caught, you could be looking at not just back taxes, but substantial penalties as well. People who pay under the table are frequently caught by accident, when their former workers file

DECEMBER 2014

for unemployment. Many of these workers fail to realize that, if you’re paying them under the table, they can’t get unemployment benefits based on those earnings. So when the job ends, they file for benefits listing you as the employer. That’s when the authorities start poking around. If you’re not sure if your worker is your employee or not, ask your insurance agent. Not only are you risking substantial penalties from the IRS, but you’re also taking even bigger risks by not properly insuring the worker against injury. INSURANCE OPTIONS

What about your homeowner’s insurance? Many people assume their homeowner’s policy will help if an employee is injured while working in the home. Generally, that’s not true. Homeowner insurance will cover injuries to guests. It might also cover some injuries to a contractor working at your home, but home-

Many people assume their homeowner’s policy will help if an employee is injured while working in the home. Generally, that’s not true.

MOMENTS LIKE THESE ARE PRECIOUS. DON’T LET THEM FADE AWAY. MINNESOTA RESOURCES Learn more about Minnesota labor laws and workers compensation — and find helpful tips for hiring contractors — at dli.mn.gov or call 800-342-5354.

owner insurance doesn’t usually cover a domestic worker, like a housekeeper. You might, however, be able to add this coverage. Other risks to you as an employer include lawsuits for wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment and breaches of privacy. Lilia Rocha, the vice president of a Los Angeles insurance agency told Bankrate.com: “Personal and general liability coverage primarily deals with bodily injury and property damage. Unless there is a specific endorsement, a homeowner policy won’t address these exposures.” Rocha advises clients who have household workers to carry employment practices liability insurance. If you already have a personal umbrella or liability policy, you could talk to your agent about getting an endorsement added. A standalone policy, based on the number of employees you have, will cover more risk. But it may come with a high deductible and require a lot of information from you. An endorsement comes with lower premiums and lower deductibles, and requires less information from you, but of course, the coverage is limited.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in people 55+. It’s a chronic disease affecting more than 10 million Americans, and early detection is key to saving your sight.

Protect your vision from fading away. Call the Foundation Fighting Blindness for a free info packet about preventing and managing AMD.

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if you are a fan of determination, then you are already a fan of Special Olympics. volunteer, support, coach or compete.

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Teresa Ambord is a former accountant and a longtime ﬁnance writer. Send comments to editor@mngoodage.com. Special Olympics GA 2013 S3 filler.indd 1

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DECEMBER 2014

GOOD LIVING TECHNOLOGY ////// MR. MODEM

When should you sign out? Always. When I sign in to my bank accounts and other sites, does it make any difference whether I sign out or just click the X to close the window?

Q&A

Yes, it makes a huge difference — make that a HUGE difference! Never ever, ever, ever leave an account that you logged into without logging out. Failing to log out is tantamount to departing your home and leaving the door open — 99.99 percent of the time everything will be fine when you return. On the other hand, it’s only going to take one time — when you return to a ransacked house or find raccoons have taken up residence — to change your life forever. And then it’s too late. Always log off. It doesn’t matter whether it’s an online bank account or your Gmail account or anything else. You log in for security purposes, and you must log out to close and lock the door behind you, otherwise you’re leaving that account door open and making yourself and your data needlessly vulnerable. Most log-in venues have an automatic log-out feature so if your account has no activity for a period of time, you will automatically be logged out. Unfortunately, there are also evildoers out there who know that many users are lazy or simply don’t know any better and will walk away from accounts without logging off. That creates a golden opportunity for someone to wreak havoc on your accounts and adversely affect your life in the process, as well. It only takes a split second to log out, so it’s well worth the effort for the peace of mind alone.

WORTHY WEBSITES

Why would I want to convert a Word document to a PDF ﬁle format?

Many times people are required to submit documents in a PDF (Portable Document Format). There are many reasons a PDF format may be selected. For example, PDF documents always look exactly the same for all recipients, regardless of the hardware or software used, which can make it ideal for presentations. PDF documents can be navigated by keyword search, and hyperlinks can be included within a table of contents, which increases usability. And the file format is compact, so files can be easily emailed and archived, too. The PDF format is an industry standard for business documents such as contracts and forms that must retain their exact appearance for legal reasons, such as tax returns, license agreements and more. Where do I ﬁnd Contacts with the new Gmail interface? They seem hidden!

After logging into Gmail.com, click the arrow next to Gmail in the upper left-hand corner of your Inbox, then select Contacts from the drop-down menu. Richard Sherman, a nationally syndicated columnist, ﬁrst ventured onto the Internet in 1988. Learn more at mrmodem.net.

FLIGHT RADAR

SCIENCE DAILY

This very cool flight tracker shows current air traffic worldwide. FlightRadar24 uses in-air flight data from several sources combined with schedule and flight-status information from airlines and airports to create an informative presentation. How it all works is fascinating: An aircraft gets its location from a GPS satellite. The transponder on the aircraft transmits a signal containing the location (and much more) to a receiver connected to Flightradar24. Click any of the little airplane icons to view detailed information about the flight. ﬂightradar24.com

This is one of the Internet’s leading online magazines and web portals devoted to science, technology and medicine. The free, advertisingsupported service presents breaking news about the latest discoveries and biggest research projects in every field — from astrophysics to zoology. sciencedaily.com

DECEMBER 2014

GOOD LIVING IN THE KITCHEN

Italian striped lemon Christmas cookies RECIPE AND PHOTO BY TERRY JOHN ZILA 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 3/4 cup sugar 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 1st batch: no food coloring* 2nd batch: 1/2 teaspoon red food coloring* 3rd batch: 1/2 teaspoon green food coloring* 1 large egg 1 tablespoon lemon zest 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1 teaspoon lemon extract 1 egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon of water for egg wash 1/4 cup sanding sugar or decorating sugar (optional) Makes 4 to 6 dozen cookies, depending on the size.

* Note: Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll need to make this recipe three times; once as written without food coloring, once with green food coloring and once with red food coloring.

Cream together the softened butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until fluffy. (This would be the time where you would add the food coloring for the 2nd and 3rd batches.) Add the egg, lemon zest, vanilla extract and lemon extract and beat until blended. Whisk together the salt and flour in a bowl, then add them to the butter-sugar mixture gradually, mixing on low speed. Add water, a few drops at a time, if the dough is dry, but only until the dough starts to come away from the sides of the bowl. Scrape the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and top with another piece of wrap. Press the dough into a thick flat disc and wrap tightly. Repeat the above steps twice more so you have three batches of dough, each a different color.

Refrigerate the doughs for 2 to 3 hours (or overnight). (If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re chilling overnight, let the dough warm up for about 60 minutes before the next step.) Roll out each of the three doughs separately between sheets of waxed paper to a thickness of 1/4 inch. Chill each dough, still layered in waxed paper, until firm, about 30 minutes.

PRO TIP To create vibrant red (not pink) and dark green (not mint green) color in your cookies, use soft gel paste color instead of liquid food coloring. See americolorcorp.com or amazon.com.

Lay the white dough on a cutting board and peel off the top sheet of wax paper. Brush it lightly with egg wash. Remove one sheet of waxed paper from the green dough. Invert the green dough on top of the white dough, then peel off the waxed paper and brush it with egg wash. Repeat with the red dough. Wrap the combined doughs in plastic wrap and chill for about an hour. Preheat the oven to 350. Unwrap the dough and cut it into 1/4-inch-thick, 4-inch-long slices, trimming off any uneven edges. Place the slices on parchment-lined baking sheets about an inch apart. Sprinkle the cookies with sanding sugar, if desired.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the cookies just begin to brown.

Local chef and culinary instructor Terry John Zila teaches cooking classes throughout the Twin Cities. See Zila demonstrate this recipe on KARE 11 TV at tinyurl.com/stripecookies. DECEMBER 2014

Participating in creative activities â&#x20AC;&#x201D; such as music, dance, poetry, painting and other visual arts â&#x20AC;&#x201D; can help ages 55 and older boost joy, improve health, fight depression and delay dementia.

Photo by Rich Fleischman / MacPhail Center for Music

DECEMBER 2014

Arts and aging: Amazing! BY SARAH DORISON

Retired attorney Patrick Weber dabbled in guitar as a youngster. Now, thanks to lessons through the Minneapolis-based MacPhail Center for Music, he’s been back at it. The 63-year-old Shoreview resident has been playing since 2010 and now owns multiple electric guitars, including a cherry-red, semi-hollow-body Gibson ES-335.

atrick Weber grew up in the 1960s, an exhilarating era that gave birth to The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. Attending middle school in Hibbing at the time, he was so inspired by the rock ‘n’ roll movement, he decided to take guitar lessons at a local music shop. “I bought my own guitar with money I had from a paper route,” he said. Guitar, however, wasn’t easy to learn. “I sold it when I was in my late 20s,” Weber said. “I didn’t play from that time forward.” Fast-forward about three decades. Today Weber, a 63-year-old retired banking attorney living in Shoreview, has triumphantly reclaimed the guitar and is living his passion for music nearly every day. He been playing guitar since 2010, thanks to weekly lessons at MacPhail Center of Music, based in Minneapolis, plus about five hours of practice a week. He boasts a repertoire of more than 30 songs, including Give Me One Reason by Tracy Chapman, Wagon Wheel by Darius Rucker and Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd. “I thought it would be a good way to engage the brain,” Weber said. “Plus, I just really enjoy music.” WHY IT REALLY MATTERS

Though Weber’s story may sound like a tale of a man exploring a long-lost hobby later in life, experts who study aging say what Weber is doing is extremely important for his overall health. Engaging the brain in challenging creative activities in midlife

DECEMBER 2014

and beyond is an essential part of aging well, according to a growing group of neuroscientists. Being active in the arts, according to recent studies, can delay dementia, fight depression and improve overall health (or at least slow its decline), even into our 80s. Older adults who engage regularly in music, dance, poetry, painting and other visual arts have been proven to age better, mentally and physically, said Tammy Hauser, interim executive director for ArtSage, a connector, a convener and a catalyst for arts and aging in Minnesota (formerly called the Minnesota Creative Arts and Aging Network). “Mastery of a skill forces your brain to make connections,” Hauser said, adding that the arts are especially powerful among the oldest of adults. “It’s more effective than a lot of medications.” RESEARCH ON ARTS, AGING

Hauser has seen the arts change lives, but she’s also seen research that backs up the anecdotal evidence: According to a three-city study conducted by renowned

DECEMBER 2014

Above: Zoe Bird (left), director of the Alzheimer’s Poetry Project-Minnesota and ArtSage mentor and presenter Jeanne Bayer, take part in an artists training initiative developed and led by ArtSage, a Twin Cities-based organization that supports artsand-aging programming in the Midwest.

geriatric psychiatrist Gene Cohen, George Washington University and the National Endowment for the Arts —The Creativity and Aging Study — arts-engaged older adults don’t just report better health outcomes. Participants in the three-year controlled study who were active in the arts (age 65 to 103 with an average age of 80) required fewer medications and doctor visits than the adults in the control group. They also suffered fewer falls. Why? Mastering artistic skills gave participants in the study a greater sense of control and also boosted their overall social engagement, according to the study, completed in 2006.

WATCH IT! PBS/TPT produced a two-part documentary series, Arts & the Mind, featuring national and Minneapolis-based experts in the arts, hosted by Lisa Kudrow. See pbs.org/program/arts-mind or tpt.org/artsandthemind.

In his book, The Creative Age: Awakening Human Potential in the Second Half of Life, Cohen argues that people involved in creative activities feel better, remain more independent and lead more meaningful lives. USE IT OR LOSE IT

Weber doesn’t need a research study to validate his reasons for playing guitar. He sought out music partly to keep his brain active in retirement. After a lifetime of daily work in the intense world of finance and law, he wanted to stay not just busy, but sharp. He also exercises five times a week.

“I think to be engaged both mentally and physically is extremely important,” Weber said. Indeed, scientific evidence backs this use-it-or-lose-it philosophy. In the PBS/TPT documentary Arts & the Mind, neuroscientist Dr. Jay Giedd with the National Institute of Mental Health cites the concept of neuroplasticity: Whether young or old, our brains’ neural-pathways constantly adapt to our experiences, especially if the experiences are mentally and physically engaging, such as dancing, painting, singing or playing an instrument.

Opportunities to discover the arts Alzheimer’s Poetry Project-Minnesota, encourages the creativity of elders with memory loss through collaborative, joyful poetry programming. Contact director Zoe Bird at zozettebird@gmail.com or 612-432-9196; alzpoetry.org.

Beyond Ballroom Dance Company offers lifelong-learning opportunities for older adults; beyondballroom.org.

COMPAS, based in St. Paul, helps bring arts activities to all ages, including older adults in a variety of settings; compas.org. History Theatre in St. Paul offers storytelling and writing workshops for senior living facilities and community centers. History Theatre also offers on-site writing classes for older adults; historytheatre.com.

Kairos Alive! is a Minneapolis-based performing and arts-learning organization offering award-winning intergenerational programming in participatory dance, music and story for older adults; kairosalive.org.

MacPhail Music for Life is a newly expanded program for adults 55 and older looking for a comfortable and inviting place to pursue music, including individual and group lessons; macphail.org. Minneapolis Institute of Arts offers Discover Your Story tours designed for small groups of visitors with memory loss and their friends and caregivers; tinyurl.com/discoveryourstory.

Music & Memory trains elder-care professionals how to set up personalized music playlists, delivered on iPods and other digital devices, for those in their care; musicandmemory.org. Northern Clay Center offers Art@Hand courses for ages 55 and older and their families; northernclaycenter.org.

VocalEssence offers a variety of programs for older adults, including Choral Pathways and, coming in 2015, Vintage Voices, at senior centers and assisted living homes in the Twin Cities; vocalessence.org.

DECEMBER 2014

“The things that we do a lot, the brain will be optimized for those,” Giedd said in the documentary. “And the connections that we don’t use will wither and die.” The same is true for young children, whose brains eliminate pathways that aren’t used through a process call competitive elimination, all part of adapting to life. “It seems to be in place as long as we are alive,” Giedd said of the phenomenon of neuroplasticity. “There is no age too old to learn.” SATISFYING THE SILVER TSUNAMI

This is all welcome news to anyone serving the baby boomer population, turning 65 at a rate of 10,000 people per day in the U.S., part of a worldwide demographic shift known as the Silver Tsunami. In Minnesota, that means an estimated one-fifth of the state will be over age 65 by 2030. Boomers — who are expected to live longer than previous generations — are looking for meaning and purpose not just in retirement but also in old age. Hauser calls baby boomers “the younger old.” “They want engaging experiences,” Hauser said. “They’re demanding that.” Though many facilities are ill-equipped to fill the need for sophisticated creative opportunities, ArtSage is working to change that by training a growing cadre of artists who are interested in working with older adults. Community centers, libraries and senior housing facilities can contact ArtSage to learn how to offer programming that appeals to a wide variety of older adults. Coming soon is SageConnect, an interactive and searchable database that will function as a onestop shop for the arts and aging community. Creating successful arts programming for older adults is a new and special challenge, Hauser said. Artistic endeavors for boomers and beyond must go beyond traditional crafts.

DECEMBER 2014

Top: Teaching artist and mentor Joey Clark and artist May Lee-Yang participate in a training initiative organized by ArtSage, a catalyst for local arts-and-aging programming. Bottom: Maria Genne works with older adults as part of her dance company, Kairos Alive!

Programming needs to be personal and tailored to individuals’ needs. Participants need venues for telling their own personal stories, Hauser said, adding: “There’s difference between (crafts) and writing a poem or creating a song and singing it.”

Personalized experiences, Hauser said, will go a long way to easing the feelings of loneliness, depression, loss and hopelessness that can come with aging. Having a creative outlet can be especially beneficial for older adults, Hauser said. But younger boomers may find now to be an ideal time to start, especially couples whose children have left the nest. “It’s a crucial piece of human development after age 55 when you’re trying to make meaning in your life,” Hauser said. “You have time. Maybe you didn’t have that early in your life. Maybe you’ve always wanted to draw or paint or sing. That’s what arts in aging celebrates.” DANCE: ENGAGING THE BODY

Dance and movement can be particularly powerful for older adults, according to neuroscientist and pathologist Dr. Peter Davies at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. He’s studied Alzheimer’s for more than 35 years. Davies believes the richest, most resilient parts of the brain are the centers responsible for the arts. When interviewed for Arts & the Mind, Davies said: “The evidence says that participation in dance programs reduces the development rate of dementia by maybe 75 percent. There is no drug around or even on the horizon that can reduce the rate of Alzheimer’s or dementia by 75 percent.” Maria Genne, the founder of Kairos Alive! a dance company in Minneapolis, said dance — even when done by older adults able to do movements only while sitting — can be life changing. Dance, she said, has the capacity to reconnect older adults through the powerful experience of movement, touch and social interaction. “Dance is cognitive, it’s social, it’s emotional and it’s physical,” she said as part of her interview in Arts & the Mind. “Dance is a body-brain exercise.” MINNESOTA LEADING THE WAY

Minnesota’s arts organizations — including the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, History Theatre, Northern Clay Center, VocalEssence, Beyond Ballroom Dance Company, the Alzheimer’s Poetry Project of Minnesota, MacPhail and Kairos Alive! — appear to be at the forefront of the arts-and-aging trend in the U.S.

“Nationally, Minnesota is the leader,” Hauser said. “We really are at the very beginning of this. We’re building a movement.” Many local arts organizations attended the first Midwest Arts and Aging Conference in St. Paul earlier this year. Organized by ArtSage, the conference also featured dozens of individual artists (trained by ArtSage) to meet the arts-education demands of memory-care facilities, adult-day programs, independent housing facilities, community centers and beyond. Gary Glazner, the founder of the national Alzheimer’s Poetry Project, gave Minnesota’s burgeoning arts-andaging movement a pat on the back in his keynote address at the conference. “You should be really proud of your community and the work you are doing together,” Glazner said. “It really is rich here. Not all places are like this.” GETTING STARTED?

Not sure what your creative outlet should be? Just start exploring and see what you find. Weber’s advice: Don’t pursue something you don’t love or something that’s too easy. Look around until you find the right fit. “Find out what makes you happy and go for it,” he said. “The good thing about being retired is you can do whatever you want.” Sarah Dorison is the editor of Minnesota Good Age magazine.

RESOURCES ArtSage offers training programs, consulting services and online resources to encourage creative arts experiences for older adults; artsagemn.org. Creative Aging Toolkit for Public Libraries, creativeagingtoolkit.org National Center for Creative Aging, creativeaging.org Opening Doors, opendoorstomemory.org

DECEMBER 2014

Is car sharing for you? BY BILL SIURU

nlike baby boomers, Millennials (born between 1980 and the early 2000s) are often more interested in smartphones and social media than owning cars. That’s partly why car sharing is rapidly growing in popularity, especially around college campuses. Basically, car sharing allows you to rent a vehicle for short periods of time just when you need it, perhaps for only an hour. With car sharing, you can have “wheels” without having to own them. Are older adults another demographic that could benefit from the car sharing? AARP thinks so and recently formed a partnership with Zipcar, the world’s leading membership-based car-sharing network, resulting in reduced membership fees for some older adults.

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However, the demographics are quite different for seniors. First of all, unlike younger generations, seniors have been accustomed to private car ownership probably since they got their drivers licenses a half-century ago. Secondly, nearly threeCar2Go operates in 11 major U.S. cities, including the Twin quarters of seniors live in Cities, currently served by a fleet of 500 smart fortwo suburban or rural areas. two-passenger city cars. Learn more at car2go.com/en/ minneapolis. This presents a problem for the car-charging usually at or near a university or airport. business model, which is based on (In the Twin Cites, you can find Zipcars locating vehicles in densely populated in the urban cores of Minneapolis and urban areas. St. Paul and at the airport.) Zipcar, now owned by the Avis Several other companies offer car Budget Group, offers its car-sharing services in about three dozen U.S. cities, sharing including Hertz on Demand,

Enterprise CarShare and U-Haul Car Share. Car manufacturers have also introduced their own car-sharing services, the most ambitious being Daimler’s Car2Go with services in 11 major U.S. cities and three in Canada (including the Twin Cities). Car2go uses two-passenger smart fortwo cars. Though most run on gasoline, some are electric.

How does car sharing work?

LIMITED USE FOR SENIORS

ÎÎWhile there are a variety of Zipcar plans, typically it costs $6 per month and $6 to $8 per hour depending on location, time and vehicle type. This includes about 180 miles and insurance; then it costs 45 to 55 cents per mile.

At last count, there were about 1.3 million car-sharing members sharing 21,459 vehicles in the U.S. There have been proposals to locate car-sharing services near age-55-plus communities, but they never happened. That’s because there are two basic types of senior drivers. First there are those with cars they’ve had for years, paid off and don’t drive much; the only major cost is insurance and registration. The others are “car guys” who buy the latest cars and would never be seen in a rented car. Drive around many older-adult communities and see almost as many Corvettes as Buicks. Unlike college campuses, the culture for car sharing isn’t strong. The best way for seniors to take advantage of car sharing is when they travel to a city where car sharing is available and they need a car for only a few hours. Why pay car rental and parking fees for a car that sits most of the time in a hotel parking garage? This is especially true in Europe where car-sharing is even more established and very popular. Seniors who live in locales with car sharing, especially near college campuses, might even be able to avoid owning a car.

Let’s look at Zipcar. ÎÎFirst, you have to join Zipcar to obtain a Zipcard. ÎÎEligibility requirements include a valid driver’s license, a good driving record and decent credit history.

ÎÎYou reserve a car on Zipcar’s website, by phone or by using Zipcar’s iPhone or Android app. ÎÎNext, you have to travel to the car’s location.

ÎÎAt the time of your reservation, you hold the Zipcard against the card reader in the windshield to unlock the doors. The keys are inside. ÎÎYou use a smartphone or Zipcard to lock and unlock the doors during your trip. ÎÎYou have to return the car to the location where you picked it up with a 1/4 tank of fuel. Zipcar pays for the fuel. ÎÎYou can bring a pet along, but it must be kept in a locked pet carrier, unless it’s a service animal. Of course, no smoking.

Learn more at carsharing.net.

Bill Siuru writes about the automotive industry and other technology and how it can affect seniors.

DECEMBER 2014

DECEMBER CAN’T MISS

CALENDAR DEC. 25–28

Cirque du Soleil presents Varekai The renowned circus-arts group takes audiences to a magical forest at the summit of a volcano, full of high-flying gymnastics, bright costumes and breathtaking acrobatics. When: Dec. 25–28 Where: Target Center, Minneapolis Cost: $40–$100 Info: cirquedusoleil.com/ varekai or 888-929-7849 DEC. 4–6

36th Annual Old Fashioned Holiday Bazaar Browse 75 booths of local, handcrafted jewelry, wreaths, paintings, lotions and soaps. When: 10 a.m.–8 p.m. Dec. 4–5, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Dec. 6 Where: Landmark Center, St. Paul Cost: $4. Admission is free for ages 12 and younger. Info: landmarkcenter.org

DEC. 1–21

God Rest Ye Scary Gentlemen III: Christmas Ghosts Enjoy slightly spooky stories about holiday hauntings in this third installment of the Hardcover Theater’s successful series. When: 7 p.m. Dec. 1, 7–8, 14, 21 Where: Bryant-Lake Bowl, Minneapolis Cost: $12 in advance, $15 at the door Info: bryantlakebowl.com or 612-825-8949

DECEMBER 2014

DEC. 3–18

Letters to Santa Comedian and actor Janelle Ranek takes on the personas of a variety of oddball characters in this unique holiday show. When: 7 p.m. Dec. 3–4, 11, 17–18 Where: Bryant-Lake Bowl, Minneapolis Cost: $10 in advance, $12 at the door Info: bryantlakebowl.com or 612-825-8949

DEC. 4–29

A Very Die Hard Christmas Based loosely on the classic movie Die Hard, this play combines action and suspense with touching sentiments of traditional TV Christmas specials, presented by Dana’s Boys and Mainly Me Productions. When: 10 a.m. Dec. 4–5, 11–13, 19–20, 9:30 p.m. Dec. 7, 14, 21 and 28 and 8 p.m. Dec. 29 Where: Bryant-Lake Bowl, Minneapolis

Cost: $13 in advance, $15 at the door Info: bryantlakebowl.com or 612-825-8949

DEC. 5–7

Ice Fishing and Winter Sports Show More than 190 exhibits will showcase the latest in ice fishing and winter sporting products, plus seminars on various topics. When: 1–9 p.m. Dec. 5, 8 a.m.–7 p.m. Dec. 6 and 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Dec. 7 Where: St. Paul RiverCentre, St. Paul Cost: $9 for adults, $5 for children; ages 5 and younger can attend for free. Info: stpaulicefishingshow.com

DEC. 5–7

Being a Ghost Story Using elements from Victorian Theater, the Powderhorn Theatre Arts group presents its take on Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, incorporating a mummer’s play, holiday music and puppets. When: 7 p.m. Dec. 5–6, 2 p.m. Dec. 6–7 Where: Powderhorn Park Recreation Center, Minneapolis Cost: Entry is FREE with a non-perishable food donation. Info: tinyurl.com/powderhornpark or 612-370-4960

DEC. 5–14

Welcome Christmas Chorus group VocalEssence celebrates a Nordic Christmas with carols and traditions from Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland. When: Dec. 5–7, 13–14 Where: Various metro-area locations Cost: $20 Info: vocalessence.org

DEC. 5–20

The Unscripted Minnesota Holiday Experience classic holiday story arcs with a twist, in which the audience supplies the details of the characters and place and the actors improvise the rest, presented by Danger Boat Productions. When: 7 p.m. Dec. 5–6, 12–13, 19–20, 10 p.m. Dec. 10 Where: Bryant-Lake Bowl, Minneapolis Cost: $13 in advance, $15 at the door Info: bryantlakebowl.com or 612-825-8949 Photo courtesy of Moscow Ballet

DEC. 6–7

Sparkle Mart Browse handmade jewelry from more than 30 local artists at this event hosted by the Minnesota Jewelry Arts Guild. When: 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Dec. 6, noon–4 p.m. Dec. 7 Where: 3rd Floor Gallery, Northrup King Building, Minneapolis Cost: FREE Info: tinyurl.com/sparklemart

DEC. 11–21

DEC. 6

Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker Intricate and larger-than-life puppetry, detailed costumes and rich sets make for a particularly engrossing performance of Tchaikovsky’s score. When: Noon, 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Dec. 6 Where: Orpheum Theatre, Minneapolis Cost: Tickets start at $30. Info: hennepintheatretrust.com or 800-982-2787

La Natividad This unique bilingual production of the Nativity story — inspired by the Mexican tradition of Las Posadas — combines handmade life-size puppets, street theatre, audience participation and a torch-lit procession. When: 6:30 p.m. Dec. 11, 13–14, 18–21 Where: In The Heart of the Beast Theatre, Minneapolis Cost: $16–$22 Info: hobt.com or 612-721-2535

contemporary and traditional music, spanning more than five centuries. When: Dec. 11–15 Where: Various locations in the metro area Cost: $20–$35 Info: cantussings.com or 612-435-0055

DEC. 12–14

The Nutcracker DEC. 11–15

Christmas With Cantus The renowned nine-member chorus rehearses and performs without a conductor, connecting directly with the audience. Their holiday concert features

Twin Cities Ballet presents its flagship production of Denise Vogt’s classic, featuring more than 100 dancers, apprentices and students. When: 7 p.m. Dec. 12, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Dec. 13, 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Dec. 14

DECEMBER 2014

DECEMBER CAN’T MISS

CALENDAR Where: Ames Center, Burnsville Cost: $16–$32 Info: twincitiesballet.org or 800-982-2787

DEC. 12–14

Joyful and Triumphant The Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus performs its annual holiday concert featuring holiday staples and contemporary tunes, along with special guests The Copper Street Brass Quintet. When: 8 p.m. Dec. 12–13 and 2 p.m. Dec. 14 Where: Ted Mann Concert Hall, Minneapolis Cost: $25–$48 Info: tcgmc.org

DEC. 15

Tales from the Charred Underbelly of the Yule Log NPR’s All Things Considered commentator Kevin Kling presents heart-warming and comical stories both traditional and contemporary. When: 7:30 p.m. Dec. 15 Where: Guthrie Theater, Minneapolis Cost: $28 in advance, $23 for students and seniors Info: guthrietheater.com or 612-377-2224

DEC. 6–28

Holidazzle Village Enjoy a wealth of holiday spectacles at Holidazzle Village including the Europeanstyle Minneapolis Holiday Market ($3–$6 season pass), plus free attractions such as live reindeer, a carousel, a skating rink and holiday characters. When: Open weekends in December from 3–8 p.m. The Holiday Market is open 11 a.m.–9 p.m. through Dec. 24. Where: Nicollet Mall between 10th and 12th streets Cost: FREE entry to Hollidazzle Village, $3–$6 for a Holiday Market season pass Info: holidazzle.com or minneapolisholidaymarket.com DEC. 17–21

All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914 This production marks the 100th anniversary of the miraculous Christmas truce between Allied and German soldiers during WWI. When: Dec. 17–21 Where: Pantages Theatre, Minneapolis Cost: $28–$39 Info: hennepintheatretrust.com or 800-982-2787

DEC. 18

Schubert Club Courtroom Concert This holiday-themed concert features carols from Minnesota composers. When: Noon Dec. 18 Where: Landmark Center, St. Paul Cost: FREE Info: landmarkcenter.org or schubert.org/concerts

DEC. 6–21

Hill House Holidays Costumed actors portray servants in the Hill family mansion as they prepare for the holidays during this re-enactment of life in the first decade of the 20th century. When: 1–3:30 p.m. Dec. 6–7, 13–14, 20–21; Tours begin every 30 minutes. Where: James J. Hill House, St. Paul Cost: $12, $10 for seniors and students, $8 for ages 6–17. Reservations required. Photo by Steve Woit, Info: mnhs.org or 651-259-3015

Courtesy of Minnesota Historical Society DECEMBER 2014

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Embrace the darkest night then call in the sun with film, dance, songs and stories about the winter solstice with artist and musician Kari Tauring. When: 7 p.m. Dec. 22 Where: Bryant-Lake Bowl, Minneapolis Cost: $8 advance, $10 at the door Info: bryantlakebowl.com or 612-825-8949

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PLEASE DONATE DEC. 27

To be an active supporter of In the Heart of the Beast, you can make a gift online or mail a check to 1500 E. Lake St., Mpls, MN 55407

Kwanzaa Family Day Celebrate family, community and culture for Kwanzaa with music, African dance, drumming, storytelling, fashion shows and craft activities. When: Noon–4 p.m. Dec. 27 Where: Minnesota History Center, St. Paul Cost: Free with museum admission ($11 for adults, $9 for seniors, students and active military, $6 for children, free for ages 5 and younger) Info: mnhs.com or 651-259-3000

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